The Warumpi Band originated in the Aboriginal settlement of Papunya in the central desert region of the Northern Territory in 1980.
The band's name derives from the honey-ant dreaming site “Warumpi" located near the settlement of Papunya which is 260km west of Alice Springs. Original founding members were Sammy Butcher, Gordon Butcher (deceased), Neil Murray, George Rrurrambu (deceased) assisted by other young men in the community.
They toured the Northern Territory and Kimberly region playing to communities, outback stations and isolated townships developing their unique sound and writing much of their material on the road.
The Warumpi Band wrote, recorded and released the first rock song in an Aboriginal language (Luritja) "Jailanguru Pakarnu" (Out From Jail) in 1983 and toured to Sydney and regional NSW.
In 1984, with David Cooke on board as manager the Warumpi Band toured through Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide as well as the Kimberly’s and NT. Later that year, they spent four days recording at Trafalgar studios in Annandale, Sydney.
In 1985, the debut album "BIG NAME NO BLANKETS" was released with "Blackfella/Whitefella", “Waru”, “Breadline" and "Fitzroy Crossing" receiving national airplay. The band toured extensively from Alice through the western desert of WA, the Pilbara, the Kimberly’s and the Top end. Later in 1985, the band toured south eastern Australia and overseas - Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to promote the album which was now gaining much critical acclaim.
They inspired and accompanied Midnight Oil on a month long tour of Aboriginal communities in 1986. At the conclusion of that tour, Sammy and Gordon Butcher chose to to stay home while George and Neil continued on to Sydney to ecord the album "GO BUSH" with Alan Murphey on drums, assisted by Jim Moginie (keys) and Peter Gifford (bass)
"GO BUSH" includes the tracks "From The Bush" and the original version of the indigenous anthem "My Island Home” written by Neil for George to sing.
In 1987, the Warumpi Band embarked on a nationwide tour to promote the “Go Bush” album with Alan Murphey on drums and Murray Cook on bass recruited to the touring line up. They supported Midnight Oil in concerts along the east coast and did their own shows in Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne and elsewhere. The Go Bush tour wound up in the NT and from there members took time out to pursue other goals.
Neil Murray launched his solo career in 1989 with the album "Calm and Crystal Clear” (He has since released 9 more albums - the latest being “The Telling “ in 2023. In 1995, he was awarded the APRA Song of the Year for "My Island Home" after it became a national hit for Christine Anu)
The Warumpi Band emerged in 1990 with a 10 date tour between Alice Springs and Darwin with George, Neil, Brian Butcher (Sammy’s brother) on bass and Bill Heckenberg on drums. In 1992, with Sammy returned and drummer Alan Murphey in the line up, they performed at the inaugural Stompen Ground festival in Broome.
In 1995, the Warumpi Band, with the original line up of George, Neil, Sammy and Gordon - with the addition of Bill Jacobi on bass- completed a highly successful tour of Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, Italy and the United Kingdom guided by long-time manager David Cooke.
The Warumpi Band released the album "TOO MUCH HUMBUG" with CAAMA in 1996, produced by Mark Ovenden. (George, Neil and Sammy all performed on the album with the addition of Bill Heckenberg on drums and Bill Jaocbi on bass.) The album included the track "Stompin Ground" which received widespread national airplay on Triple J and was inspired by the "Stompem Ground" festival in Broome.
In the late 1990s, Sammy Butcher declined touring leaving George and Neil to continue the Warumpi Band with other players. As well as playing the 1998 Broome Stompen Ground festival, the band featured on the national Big Day Out series of concerts in 1999 with keyboardist Stephen Teakle, drummer Bill Heckenberg and guitarist Buddy Knox in the line up.
After a 20 year commitment to indigenous rock and roll, the Warumpi Band officially retired on 14 October 2000. Their last appearance was at the Stompem Ground Festival at Broome in October 2000 which featured original founding member Sammy Butcher returned for the one off concert on lead guitar. The band did play on two other occasions since. Once at the Anzac oval in Alice Springs in 2003 and again in 2006 at the Dreaming festival in Woodford, Queensland.
Since the year 2000, George Rrurrambu and Sammy Butcher had also pursued solo projects. George released his solo album “ Nerbu Message” and performed a one man play and Sammy released a solo instrumental album “ Desert Surf guitar” and was active in Papunya playing in and mentoring the emerging desert reggae band “Tjupi”
In June 2007 George Rrurrambu sadly passed after a long struggle with cancer. Out of respect for the much loved and charismatic frontman, the remaining Warumpi Band members decided to retire the band permanently.
Original drummer Gordon Butcher passed in 2020. Former long time manager David Cooke passed in 2021.
Airi Ingram, Hilary Wirrie,(deceased) Denis Minor, Edgar Ellis (dancer - deceased), Amos Anderson (deceased), Ian Anderson (deceased), Andy Kiwatt, Freddie Tallis, Tjakapurra, Jim Moginie, Bart Willoughby, Buna Lawrie, Elkin Tjapaltjarri, Ernesta Mazzoni, Di Spence, Alan Murphey, Murray Cook, Peter Gifford, Bob Jones, Alvin Duffin (deceased), Stan Satour,(deceased) Gene Knox, Buddy Knox, Kenny Smith (deceased), Bill Jacobi, Bill Heckenberg, Stephen Teakle